BEAUTIFUL RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL POLISHED CONCRETE FROM DIRECTSTONE
As a leading provider of polished concrete London, Directstone couldn’t be prouder of its product. Polished concrete is one of the most sought-after flooring finishes for both commercial and residential use. This is a trend that started in hectic commercial environments where it was prized for its toughness and durability. More recently it’s found its way into homes because of its stunning looks and elegant, urban aesthetic.
Many of our residential London clients start out liking the look of the product, but they want to know more before committing. They tell us they love the WOW factor that comes with a polished concrete floor, but they want to know if it’s right for their home environment. Having talked this through with a number of London clients, we’ve found 7 benefits that help them to make their decision.
7 Benefits of Residential Polished Concrete London
At DirectStone we understand that choosing polished concrete for your home involves considerations of style, aesthetics and practical day-to-day concerns:
1. POLISHED CONCRETE IS DURABLE
A polished concrete floor will probably outlive you. The material was designed for industrial use, so it can take just about anything you can throw at it. Concrete is also unyielding. So, if you’re making the leap from carpet, or wood flooring, you’ll definitely notice the difference. And if you drop anything on a concrete floor, it’s likely to break.
2. CONCRETE FLOORING IS GOOD FOR THE PLANET
Often, we’ll find ourselves working on concrete slabs that are part of the original foundation of a London property. The concrete flooring may have been covered with tiles or carpeting for decades. We can remove these, and restore the concrete to create beautiful flooring for your home. Best of all, you’re recycling existing material and significantly improving your property’s carbon footprint.
3. CONCRETE IS A PERFECT MATCH FOR UNDERFLOOR HEATING
Concrete’s thermal mass makes it a great conductor of heat, which is exactly what you need for underfloor heating. Not only does concrete warm up quickly, it also spreads heat fast to every corner of the room, and it retains heat even when the heating source is turned off. Polished concrete will also store solar gain and release it slowly throughout the evening.
4. EASY MAINTENANCE
Once your polished concrete flooring is installed, there’s very little you need to do to keep it looking good. The main concern is a build-up of dust or grit which can scratch the surface and dull the finish. All that’s needed to avoid this is regular sweeping and mopping with soapy water. We recommend that every 2-5 years the stain-resistant sealant is replaced.
5. A CHOICE OF FINISHES
Your polished concrete London flooring can be finished to match the aesthetic of its surrounding. Our specialist concrete polishers provide a range of options:
- HTC Superfloor™ Platinum – this is the glossiest of our finishes. If you’re looking for a highly polished, highly durable concrete floor this is ideal.
- HTC Superfloor™ Gold – this elegantly polished floor shows off the aggregate patterning beneath the paste, and offers a tough resilient surface.
- HTC Superfloor™ Silver – ideal if you’re looking for a matte finish for your floor. The aggregate is revealed but not polished, lending a warm lustre to the room.
- HTC Superfloor™ Bronze – the only flooring finish which doesn’t involve grinding down the paste. Instead the surface is polished to a high gloss, celebrating the natural colouration.
6. NOT ALL CONCRETE CAN BE POLISHED
The DirectStone flooring specialists will always inspect the concrete slab you want polishing, before committing to the application of a specific finish. The concrete has to be dense, and made up of aggregate, cement, and water to be suitable for polishing. If there is a problem, we’ll suggest an alternative such as concrete overlays or microcement flooring.
7. WHERE CAN POLISHED CONCRETE LONDON BE INSTALLED?
Our most popular residential concrete installations are in kitchens, hallways, living spaces, and ground floor bathrooms or wet rooms. Clients who are looking to create multi-purpose, open-plan spaces find that polished concrete flooring offers a unifying floor surface which can then be broken up with rugs. Equally popular is the use of polished concrete to create a bridge between indoor spaces and outdoor patios.
DIRECTSTONE IS A CONCRETE FLOOR SPECIALIST
We’re a family business with a passion for perfection. That’s why the DirectStone team is made up of flooring specialists with extensive experience installing beautiful concrete polished floors. We’ve provided concrete polishing in London for residential and commercial and clients; our work can be found in refurbished properties, heritage sites, office atriums, public buildings and showrooms.
Would you like to speak to one of our flooring specialists about installing polished concrete in your London home? Call us today on 01525 20863920
